Over the course of two years, the St. Francis of Assisi Garden started out as a thought and gradually turned into reality. Located behind Drexel and DeSales Hall, the garden is situated in a perfect spot in terms of plant growth since the garden area is facing south.

Mr. Michael Deely, Principal of Cathedra, answered questions about the concept, mission, and timeline of the St. Francis of Assisi Garden. “The St. Francis of Assisi Garden is a combined program that brings together Cathedral’s science department, garden club, and facilities department to create a garden that will serve as a living lab for our biology, environmental science, chemistry, and physics classes,” said Mr. Deely.

Mr. Deely later explained the mission of the St. Francis of Assisi Garden program. “The mission of ‘SFAG’ is to give opportunities for students, teachers, staff, parents, and the community to engage as partners in cultivating an organic garden that reinforces ways to provide healthy, natural food to our community while reinforcing our responsibility to be good stewards to the earth,” Mr. Deely said,

The St. Francis of Assisi Garden project started as an idea in the spring of 2012 to create a gardening space for the Garden Club. Mr. Deely discussed his idea of combining SFAG with an effort to create an environmental science lab as part of a science academy.

Working with Mr. David Smola, the Assistant Principal of Cathedral who oversaw facilities, both Mr. Deely Mr. Smola came up with a 2,834 square foot plot of land that could be converted into the lab. Assessments were made for the wall, irrigation, construction, and design of the garden, and approval was then made in the fall of 2012 by Mr. Stevan Laaperi, President of CCHS.

Volunteers have kindly helped in building the St. Francis of Assisi Garden. Mrs. Wisniew, Biology teacher of CCHS and moderator of the Garden Club, obtained help from her neighbor and friend, Robin Shifflet, in designing the garden. Throughout the 2013 – 2014 school year, Mr. Josh Cintas, his wife Anita, and their family spent many Saturdays leveling the area, weeding, transplanting and removing trees, trenching for irrigation, constructing raised garden beds, and preparing the designated planting areas. Mrs. Wisniew calls Josh and Anita Cintas her “garden angels.”

Mrs. Wisniew has had several experiences with gardening since she began as an amateur. Nowadays, Mrs. Wisniew grows over one hundred roses alongside countless other plants in her yard at her North Park home. What started out as a small rose garden near her kitchen has grown into a lush, springtime English cottage garden.

A few of Mrs. Wisniew’s favorite plants include that of larkspur, foxglove, Queen Anne’s lace, alyssum, and delphinium, and her favorite colors are pink, purple, white, and yellow.

Due to San Diego’s great climate, plants can grow with ease in any season for a beautiful year-round garden result. Although Mrs. Wisniew already grows many plants, she loves to explore and find new plants that she can add to her garden. “I always shop around to see what is new at the nursery to add to the garden. Many of my plants reseed themselves, so in all, I create a lush, densely packed English garden look,” said Mrs. Wisniew.

She further stated that gardening is an ongoing process that takes responsibility in order to obtain the perfect results. “There is always something flowering in my garden, and there is always more work to be done,” Mrs. Wisniew said.

The Garden Club stems from Mrs. Wisniew’s personal interests in gardening. One goal that Mrs. Wisniew and her garden club hope to accomplish is to create a place where students can share their knowledge and curiosity of gardening.

Another goal of Mrs. Wisniew’s is that students will be able to take knowledge gained in their classroom study of science and apply it to real life in a garden setting. She is hoping that the St. Francis of Assisi Garden attracts humming birds and butterflies as students fill the garden spaces with more plants. Mrs. Wisniew said, “The garden is a canvas for students to design.”

Presently, the St. Francis of Assisi Garden includes sixteen raised beds donated by J & W Redwood. Current needs for the garden include shade trellises and structures, garden benches, a snake fence, and iron toppers on the existing wall that encompasses the garden.

On September 26th, Father Garret Edmunds OFM, brother-in-law of Mr. Laaperi and San Diego native, blessed the St. Francis of Assisi Garden during a beautiful ceremony. Both Mr. Laaperi and Father Garret spoke on behalf of everyone who helped make the garden possible, and they brought up topics that highlighted the theme of the garden: peace and nature appreciation.

During the ceremony, Father Garret sprinkled holy water on the plants of the garden and on those who attended the ceremony that day. He commemorated the mission and practices of St. Francis and reminded everyone that peace should always be a prevalent topic in society. “Peace is not the result of violent repression. Peace is a generous, tranquil contribution of the good of all… peace is a right and a duty,” said Father Garret.

The St. Francis of Assisi Garden has developed beautifully. When asked what her favorite part about gardening is, Mrs. Wisniew exclaimed, “to relax with a cup of tea while admiring and appreciating God’s awesome creations!”

In Cathedral Catholic High School and in the hearts of the staff and the students, the St. Francis of Assisi Garden serves as a living example of peace and tranquility, something that everyone needs in their lives.